Finding Home
by Alli1992
Summary: Well this is the first major story i have written in a long time, i hope you enjoy it :D
1. Chapter 1

Melissa Smith was born and Raised in Orlando Florida. She had a great life, she had the looks, the brains, and athletics. She was a role model to those younger than herself, everything was perfect, Straight A's. Co-captain of the cheer squad, she had the best friends ever. Until one day her world got flipped upside down.

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"What do you mean we're moving?! I just got settled down! I just started making friends and now I have to leave them?! To go where?!" Melissa almost yelled at her Father. "we are moving to Washington" "Washington? We live in Florida for crying aloud! Why would I want to go there?! It is cold! Of all the places in the continental US you had to pick Washington?!" she exclaimed. "I didn't choose this Melissa, it was work, and you know your mother would want you safe and you can't stay here, she knows your safe with me so you have to come with me to Washington..." He tried to explain. Melissa just rolled her eyes and ran upstairs. she went into her closet and grabbed a huge duffle bag. She put a few weeks worth of clothes in there, got a small bag for her cosmetics, and put them in there. "What are you doing?" She didn't realize that her dad was in the doorway until he asked that question "I'm packing what does it look like?" She replied sarcastically. Melissa grabbed her bag with her school stuff and one of her other bags and went down to the garage, where her car was. It was her pride and joy, a Midnight blue convertible mustang GT with white interior. she put the bags in the trunk and went to get some more of her bags and did the same as before. She packed the rest of her things in a few boxes and put them in the back seat. Melissa ran up the stairs empty handed and came down with either a few large duffle bags, or a box. She had the back seat and trunk filled with boxes and bags. she knew her father, jack; was watching her the whole time. She didn't want to know what he was thinking. All She knew was that she needed to get away from here, from her dad from everything. If she cant be happy there she's going to leave, and not be near there, or near her dad. For now at least.

Melissa Went up to her room, into her closet and moved through the secret door through the wall and into her hidden room, it was small but worth having, she grabbed her small book bag on the way through and set it on the floor. She opened it up all the way, she picked up her medium sized box and opened the small latch, she looked at the photos that the box contained, they were of her mother and herself when she was little, before her mother died. She smiled a bit and closed the lid and latch, locking it, and placing it in the bottom of the bag. She then get her small box with her hidden cash in it on top of the photos box. The last thing she put in was her diary and its lock & key, she closed the bag and slung it over her shoulder and left the room, making sure to seal the door that was in the wall. Once she was out she went down stairs and out the door in the kitchen to the garage, she sat in her car, and put her bag from her shoulder onto the seat beside herself. She looked at her father, started the car, and pulled out of the garage, then driveway, and onto the road.


	2. Chapter 2

Chap. 2 :

Melissa Drove until she began to get tired, she Pulled into a hotel that was always open and was in Columbus Georgia. She parked the car and grabbed her purse and overnight bag, and went inside, she walked up to the front desk to ask for a room, she noticed a familiar face when the Male turned around, it was her friend Michael, "Mikey?" she asked shocked to se how much he changed "Yes?" he asked, realizing who she was. "Why little Dorkerella Melly" he said teasing her, "well not so dorky now! Look at you! So grown up!" Melissa laughed "Can I get a room please?" she asked him, cutting him off, "Yeas," he handed her a room card and she paid for it, "I'll be gone by 6 am" She said and he nodded. She took her bag and card and looked for her room, she found her room and swiped the card in the door handle and went inside. It was a nice sized room, she put on some sweats and a tank, she locked her door and lay on the bed, she thought of where she was going to go, she thought of the place she wanted to visit for a long time, Tennessee. She pictured it in her mind, rolling grass hills, clear blue skies, as she thought she drifted off to a deep sleep.

At exactly 4 a.m. Melissa Woke up, she turned on the lights in her room, she stood up out of bed and took a hot shower to wake up. She put on a LEI. Sundress that was green, it made her green eyes brighter, She towel dried her long dark brown hair , and put on some flats that looked good with the dress. She got her bags and left the room, she went to the front desk and the clock read 5:30 a.m. she stuck the card on the desk and left, "it was nice seeing you!" Mikey yelled as she left, she waved and went out to her car, she got in, putting the bag in the back, and started the car. She pulled out of the hotel parking lot and drove up the highway. After hours of driving, going through two drive thru's at taco bells, she finally got to where she wanted to be. Nashville, Tennessee; Music City, USA. She always wanted to go there and now she did. Nicole drove into the country part of the area, Where the sky is blue and the hills were green, and horses in the pastures. She then saw a small sign, with her last name on it. "Smith Ranch; founded by Eli Smith" she said it to herself as she drove onto the dirt path that went to the ranch, "Eli, Eli," she said thinking of who that was, it struck her like a ton of bricks. Her great granddad, her mother's grand father. She parked her car outside of the ranch, by the old ford she knew to be her mothers. She got her purse, got out, and walked up to the house. It was big, grand, like a doll house on the outside. She walked up to the screen door and knocked gently.


	3. Chapter 3

Chap.3

"Who is it?" a young female yelled, as she walked down the hall, wiping her hands on a dish towel, placing it in the pocket of her black cooking apron. Melissa looked at the woman, noticing her features were similar to her mothers, "Melissa Smith" she said slightly slowly, thinking 'shouldn't she know who I am?' she looked at the porch as the woman looked at Melissa. The woman yelled behind her, "Debby! We have company!" The young woman looked at Melissa and smiled "Do come in pumpkin" Melissa smiled "auntie?" she asked, hoping that it was her aunt Lori. "Yes, its me Mel," she said smiling, letting Melissa come inside, "Gram is in the kitchen," she said smiling, "Gram!" Melissa called out walking into the kitchen, seeing her grandmother making cookies. "Melissa? Is that you?" she asked shocked to see her. "Yes its me gram, all grown up!" Melissa said, smiling. "I Can't believe this! My word you are so beautiful, you look just like your mother, how old are you now?" Gram said to Melissa, hugging her tightly, "I'm 18 now gram, and I know I do, I have a picture of me and mom when I was born, and when I was a few years old," She paused "boy do I miss her, gram." She heard footsteps. She kept hugging Gram.

"Miss, who?" a voice asked, it was a female, she was a little taller than Melissa, the same exact facial features, they looked identical, eye color, hair color, everything; except the woman was more mature. "Mom?" Melissa asked, looking at the woman, she had to blink and rub her eyes before gram said in her ear "it's her Melly." Melissa felt tears run down her cheeks as she ran over to Molly, Her mother, she hugged her tightly, "mom, I missed you so much," she said just loud enough for her mom to hear her. Molly kissed Melissa's head and let a few tears go down her cheeks, "I missed you too sweetie" Molly hugged Melissa tightly but in a motherly way, "I thought you were dead?" Melissa said quietly, Molly took Melissa out in the back, and out to the wooden swing and sat with her. "I didn't die Melissa, He lied to you, you only left here while I was up in the mountains, helping grandpa. He took off with you down to his mum's house in Florida and said I died." Molly said, Melissa wiped under her eyes and nodded "well, I'm so glad I found you, I thought I lost you" Melissa said, hugging Molly "Melissa," Melissa looked at her mother, "Yes?" she asked, "Are you here to stay? Cause' I don't wanna loose you again," Melissa nodded "yes I am!" molly smiled and kissed Melissa's head, "I love you pumpkin," Melissa smiled, "I love you too mom".

Melissa and Molly sat on the swing for a few minutes, just taking in the presence of a lost relation with one another, they smiled at each other. "Molly, Melly, Dinner!" Lori shouted out the back door, Melissa stood up, as did Molly. They walked back up to the house arm in arm, they were so happy to be reconnected again after 13 years. They walked inside and to the dining room, they took the last two unoccupied seats at the table, Gram leaded them in prayer, " Dear Lord, Thank you so much for blessing us with a gift, the gift of having my grandbaby Melissa show up at our doorstep today, thank you for this food, and for life, amen." Everyone said 'Amen' at the same time and began to eat.

Once everyone was done eating, Melissa helped clean up the table, and asked "Aunt Lori, is penny still around?" Lori nodded "Yeah she's out in the stable," Melissa nodded "Mom, I'm gonna go change and go for a ride," Molly nodded "Alright sweetie,"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

Melissa went upstairs with her bags and Saw a light purple painted wood door with a silver knob and her name in silver metal, She inhaled deeply, turned the knob and opened the door. Melissa inhaled the scent of vanilla, she smiled and slowly walked into the room, the walls light pink, the floors dark wood, the room was fit for a young girl, at the age of 5 or six. Melissa set her two bags on the floor by the door, she slowly looked around the room, running her fingertips over the dresser, curtains, and the foot board of the bed. The foot board and headboard were in the shape of a daisy, hand crafted and painted by her grandfather. She smiled and thought of him, wondering where he could be at that moment. She sat on the bed and ran her hand over the soft hand made quilt, her memories of the room came back to her, she jumped up and got her box of photos.

Melissa sat on her bed and took the photos out of the box, she looked for the ones from when she was little, she saw they were taken in the room she was in. She Remembered everything at that moment, as soon as she looked at the photo of her and her mother laying on the very bed she sat on reading a book, she smiled and put that photo in a frame beside the bed. She got up and changed from her dress to a pair of jeans, a white tank top, a blue girls flannel shirt and her cowboy boots. She braided her hair into two long braids and put on her white cowgirl hat securely on her head. She smiled to herself in the mirror and slicked on some sheer lip gloss. She walked down stairs and into the living room, "I'm goin ridin'" she told gram and aunt Lori, they nodded in agreement and she walked out the back door towards the red dirt road that lead to the stables.

Melissa walked and hummed a tune as she walked down the red dirt road to the stables, it only took five minutes to get down to the stables from the house. She walked into one of the stables, and said "Penny," a horse neighed, she knew that was her baby penny. She walked over to the stall and saw penny, she was a large horse that was a copper color with a light copper mane. She smiled, "hey girl," she petted penny, "remember me? Melly?" she asked penny, penny bobbed her head and neighed. Melissa grinned and brought her out and took her over to the grooming station in the next stable. She put penny in the station and went in as well, securing the latch so penny couldn't get out. She found a brush and carefully brushed Penny's body, then her mane, Once she was done she took her back to the regular stable. Melissa went into the stall where the saddles and such were and looked for her saddle, she found the black saddle with black reigns. She put the saddle on with no problems, and had little difficulty with the reigns. After about ten minutes of messing with them they finally went into place. She hiked herself up onto penny's back, reigns in hand she smiled triumphantly.


End file.
